Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Logan came home yesterday with his school folder and as usual proudly showed me his work for the day. Here is an example of 5 things that he loves....Now remember that he is writing them phonetically with no help...but what you see as number one is: FISH! Now we do have a pet Beta fish but I would say most days it is me who is feeding it and it is ALWAYS me who cleans the bowl. How that fish (who by the way Logan has never bothered to name...) made the number one spot...I will never know! The others are as follows:2. Mom3. Dad4. Mysf (myself) good to know he is confident!5. Myczn (my cousins)I read the list and then asked where are your brothers? His answer?....Mom...I only had 5 spots!! Well, here is to hoping that there is never an emergency and Logan has to choose who to save!!! You just have to love how a 5 year old thinks!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Well...I bet that grabbed your attention didn't it? We did not have a real fire anywhere where we are involved (although I have caught 4 boys looking longingly many times at fire pulls at various locations!!) but Landon has been studying firetrucks and firemen for this last unit and I went to his end of the unit party. The Raccoon class is very organized and had lots of activities and "centers" for us to visit. We did an obstacle course with a tunnel to crawl through and some ramps to climb up. We did an art project where we glued some parts on a wooden firetruck that Landon had painted at an earlier time and on this same truck we hammered wheels onto the body. Landon read me a story that he wrote himself and had also illustrated it. We also played in a cardboard firetruck that the kids had painted and constructed. Landon was very funny when it came time for the party to end somehow sensed it (or who knows...maybe he tells time like he reads?!) and told his friends to clean up! We ended our visit with songs and had a very nice time.

Monday, January 21, 2008

It has been a long weekend with today being a no school day for Martin Luther King's birthday. That means no mail (I eagerly look forward to mail..sad huh?!) no banking, and 4 little boys home from school in another day of frigid temperatures. We did the usual visit to the chiroprator, lunch out with daddy and our Saturday errands on Monday. Steve took the day off (sort of....) so we had an extra day with him. After lunch at Subway (the boys say this is one of their favorite "restaurnauts (ends like astronaut!) we came home and the little boys took a nap. Logan played computer games and when I came downstairs he warned me to be quiet! Steve was on a conference call and Logan was an angel/guard dog. When the other boys got up I had to keep them all silent for over an hour...it felt like a week!! Now it is snowing and I am praying that school will not be cancelled tomorrow because I don't think I can handle another day without a break! A few years ago I bought Steve a t-shirt that says it best..."I love my triplets...they make my weekends seem to last longer!!"

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Ok...well maybe that is taking too much poetic license to Oprah's author friend who wrote Eat, Pray, Love but today we spent the day eating and lounging around in the morning and then in the afternoon we got all the boys hair cut and spent the rest of the day playing at the DuPage Children's Museum. We hadn't been in awhile and the boys really enjoyed it. We played in the water area, built things with the magnet tiles and played in the wind tunnels. The boys really enjoyed daddy being home and going out to do something other than be trapped inside the house with me. We grabbed dinner from Noodles and came home to eat some good old comfort food...macaroni and cheese and beef stroganoff...the boys had chocolate chip waffles...AGAIN! Everyone is in bed and tomorrow is another day of cold weather....remind me this summer when I'm complaining that I don't like hot weather how bad this is! So we kind of took Oprah's advice and twisted it to fit us....eat...play....sleep!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Our week has been a very long but eventful one and today started no differently! Steve has been gone to Seattle/Bellevue all week and missed the heat fiasco and general craziness (he left right after the ER visit) but arrived home at 6 am this morning to a full show! Just as he was walking in the door (literally....) Logan walked into my bedroom puking all the way there! Welcome home Dad! So while he was puking and Steve was hoping to get some sleep all 3 of the other boys woke up to all the commotion. So 6 am is a REALLY early start to a Saturday when it is too cold to go anywhere or do anything. I took the boys downstairs to feed and dress them while Steve got a few hours of sleep. I laid down on the floor with Logan and the other boys poked, climbed and prodded us for the next few hours. I cancelled the chiropractor appointments (it is below zero degrees today)but I had to wake Steve up to watch the boys while I took Lake to get his stitches removed. Logan was upset that I was leaving but off we went. Lake was very brave while he got his stitches removed although he was getting nervous around the 3rd stitch. They were in there pretty tight and our Dr. had told him that these were grown-up scissors only and were VERY sharp! I think I would have been nervous too having someone poking around at a recent wound with something that I was told was dangerous!! We got the job done and Lake requested a trip to Trader Joes for veggie sticks. How can you say no to that? So off we went and besides Lake slipping on some ice and getting his pants all sludgy he was fine. I really think he was more upset about the dirty wet pants than the stitches! We came home and had lunch and then took a long nap. Logan woke up and seems to be feeling a lot better. Steve is still sleeping and when he gets up I am in for a long break!

Friday, January 18, 2008

It's that time of year again at the preschool where the unit of study is ending and the kids have a party to celebrate and invite the parents to show them what they've been up to. This week it was Lake's turn to invite me to the Butterfly room. They have been studying fruits, vegetables and grocery stores. They have built a little grocery store in the classroom. Also each week we have been sending in different fruits and vegetables and the kids try them and fill out a sheet that says I like it or I don't like it. Let's just say it was very interesting. Yesterday one of the activities was a tasting table and we tried pineapple (Lake likes it), tomatoes (Lake doesn't like it), apple (Lake likes it), corn (Lake doesn't like it.) We also played grocery store and Lake was the cashier and I played the customer. I gathered my groceries and he "rang" them up and took my money. He was very specific telling me to make a shopping list and to bring my wallet! He rang up the groceries and put them in a brown paper bag...very cute! We also made art with paint and cut up fruits and vegetables. I had a very nice time seeing what Lake does every day with the exception that he gets upset when I come to class. I don't think that he likes his two worlds to mix. I guess the good news is that it's one less classroom for me to volunteer in next year when they are all at the same school!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Logan decided yesterday (at almost bedtime) that he needed to learn to "cook." It couldn't wait until today....he "really" needed to learn "right now!" I quickly thought of something simple without a lot of mess and came up with brownies....it was a hit! Here are the boys whipping up a batch...they measured the ingredients, tasted the ingredients, mixed the ingredients, tasted the ingredients, and I baked them after they were in bed. Did I mention that they kept tasting the ingredients? Guess what they wanted for breakfast? I did manage to hold them off until they had a real breakfast but they are all gone now!! Poor daddy...that's what he gets for being out of town!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Well...maybe that is an exageration since we now have heat!!! Sunday night after Lake and I went to the ER and arrived home late we noticed that it was really cold in the house. I checked and it was 60 degrees....the furnace people were called and came to check it out on Monday afternoon...temperature 55 degrees....good news...we just needed a new motor for something....bad news... he couldn't get it until at the earliest Tuesday. Well...fine...I brought the boys into my room and let them camp out on my floor with lots of blankets and a space heater in the master bathroom taking a little bit of the chill off the bedroom. We pretended to roast marshmallows over a pretend campfire and had a sing along. The boys were good sports at least until morning when the temperature had dropped in the downstairs to 50 degrees! I will never understand how these guys can whine so much about cold air inside but think nothing of going outside with coats unzipped somedays when it is 20 degrees! Finally after getting dressed in front of the heater and bringing breakfast upstairs we finally went to school where it was warm. The furnace guy finally came at 3 pm and we had heat!! Yea! The boys are back in there own beds now and hopefully it will be quite awhile before we need to "camp" again.

Monday, January 14, 2008

When you have 4 boys it seems like something is always going on....and it IS! Tonight we ordered pizza and Steve left to go and pick it up. I was making a quick phone call and I heard a BOOM followed by Lake crying really hard. I grabbed him and held him and he told me that he fell off the chair and hurt his ear. I comforted him but as he was holding his ear I took a quick look....immediately I knew my plans for a quiet evening were changed to a visit to my favorite emergency room at Edwards Hospital! He must have hit the edge of the vacuum cleaner because it was like someone took a pair of scissors and just snipped the top part of his ear open. It hardly bled and he stopped crying rather quickly but I still knew it needed something more than I could do. I quickly changed him into pajamas in case it would end up being a late night and I wanted something that buttoned rather than pulled over his head in case it was going to swell and be sore by morning. Steve came home and off Lake and I went....It certainly wasn't my first visit to this ER and I'm rather certain it won't be my last. We got right in and Lake basked in the glory that only a kid from a large family could feel. He was the only person that they were paying attention too and he didn't have to share! When you have a lot of kids even a trip to the hospital can be fun! The nurses oohed and ahhed over him and were sympathetic to his wound. He was such a tough little guy and just played with his Leapster while we waited. As they numbed him up he tried so hard not to cry...he didn't until maybe the 5th or 6th shot. While they were doing it I promised him some Jibbitz tomorrow for being so brave...he seemed to like that and THEN around the 7th and 8th shot I threw in that HE would be the ONLY one getting jibbitz and the other boys wouldn't be...and I think that I saw a small smile! Lake likes nothing better than to have one up on his brothers! If someone does something naughty he loves to remind them of the punishment coming to them or making sure to remind me to punish them and tell Daddy! Lake was a great patient and layed very still for the 6 stitches and thanked everyone for the great care. He even posed for a picture when we were finished and then we went to Meijer to get a treat. Lake is a very smart little boy and manipulated his way into a Thomas the Tank singing toothbrush, Diego yogurt, fruit snacks, a new Leapster game and again basked in the glory of being the only kid around. He got lots of attention and sympathy from the employees and showed off his flying monkey. As we were leaving he said..."Can we go to Jewel now?!" That's my boy!! Needless to say we came home and he was fast asleep before we even pulled into the driveway.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The boys recently got new beds and and a new bedroom. They are now in the old guestroom and have a full size bed and twin bunkbeds. Generally Landon decides he is going to sleep in "grandma's" bed so he can be alone. I don't blame him because I don't really like to sleep with his brothers either. Most nights some or all of the triplets make there way to our bed and trust me 5 people do not fit in a king size bed. Many nights Steve or I end up in the guestroom with Landon or alone (since Landon is a frequent visitor to our bed) and the shuffleing begins. Not the ideal situation but hopefully they will soon learn to stay put. That is one of our New Year's resolutions anyway.... I went in to check on them last night and the above picture is what I found (note that all the pillowcases and sheets WERE on the bed when I left the room originally!)....not only do they want to sleep in the same room they want to sleep in the same bed. If you are thinking that this looks uncomfortable then picture them all in the usual bottom twin bunk!! That is their preferred space! We are waiting for the painter to come in for the new wall color and then will be adding a new dresser...I'm sure then that they will decide to stay in their own beds and all will be happy right?!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Isn't that the Campbells soup slogan? Well since over the past few days Logan and now Lake and Daddy have become sick I decided to play Martha Stewart and make homemade chicken noodle soup. I'm now asking myself why because really beyond Steve noone else besides me will eat soup. I always have a hope that someday....they will try something that doesn't come sliced in a triangle or come in a paper sack with a logo on it. The process began with a family trip to Costco on Sunday. I bought 4 chickens and a 5lb bag of onions. Hey if we are going to cook from scratch we want to do it up right! I came home and seasoned the chickens and they had to sit overnight....Monday came and went and since Logan needed a Dr. trip I had to wait until Tuesday to begin again... I chopped the onions and stuffed the chickens and finally roasted them slowly for 6 hours....I spend that night stripping the meat off the bone and set aside everything for making the broth on Wednesday. So this morning bright and early I boiled it all and strained it all....and came up with the perfect broth. Now we needed noodles. Since it was my day to volunteer in the kindergarten the noodle making had to wait until after school. Fast forward to A LOT of help!! Lake decided he was my helper today and he helped chop carrots and make the noodles. He measured the flour, poured the oil, and dumped the 8 eggs after I cracked them. He stirred and he stirred and finally they were just right. Did I mention that I didn't have time to pick up the pasta roller? I ended up having to do it by hand and the end product was pretty much a disaster...I couldn't even bribe Lawson to try it (and he is ALWAYS up for a $1 or a jibbit!) The end result was tasty although doughy if you got one of the fatter noodles but I guess it was worth because it was a labor of love and Lake enjoyed cooking with mommy! Steve said that the soup was good but next time I think I will just open a can!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

What scares a parent more than the 4 words of "Mommy I need a pet....?" Lake came to me last week and told me that he "needed" a pet. My stomach dropped but I tried to keep my composure (I swear kids can smell fear) and asked "What kind of pet do you want...a puppy?" "No mommy I want a baby elephant!" Relief flooded through my body as I explained that our house wasn't quite large enough for an elephant and that elephants poop a lot! Landon and Lawson are allergic to pets and that seemed to suffice for Lake and he decided that he would just make do with his new Black Lab Webkin. He has been carrying it around in a wooden box telling me that is the puppy's cage. He has even been "feeding" it goldfish crackers and bottled water. Logan also went through the pet stage a couple of years ago and when I stalled and told him that he had brothers he said "my brothers aren't pets!" He then proceeded to ask for a fish...another disaster diverted!

Monday, January 7, 2008

At the end of a day I'm always so exhausted but usually stay up too late just relishing the quietness of the house and to get one more thing done. As I choose which "one thing" to do...I ponder why I can't get more done during the day? I get up early....the boys are good kids (albeit slightly like a wrecking crew) and are gone 2 hours 4 days a week...why do I still have dishes needing loaded, clothes needing folded and floors needing scrubbed and swept? I think I finally realized the reason...mundane tasks that little boys feel are sooooo important. I put the boys to bed more than an hour ago but kept getting visitors because they all decided that they needed to wear their new slippers that Logan bought everyone for Christmas. Have you ever tried to find at a moments notice 8 small fuzzy slippers? They are seemingly kind of large when the boys are wearing them but somehow become miniscule when mommy wants everyone asleep so "mommy time" can begin!! I just spent an hour of my life looking for a Spiderman pair (Lawson's) Spongebob (Lake) Curious George (Landon) and last but not least and the best hidden....Lighting McQueen for Logan! I looked under beds, deep in toy boxes, backs of closets, and even in the dirty clothes hampers...finally found the last pair still in Logan's suitcase he packed himself for Grandma's house(an interesting story for another time...) that was tucked underneath the train table in the Dr. Suess Playroom...gee why didn't I look there first?! So at last all the boys are in bed complete with slippers on there feet (they didn't seem to believe me that slippers are for keeping your feet warm before bed) because Logan told them they needed them tonight so they didn't "freeze" their feet! **Chicago weather note...it was 67 degrees today** Who am I to argue....?

Sunday, January 6, 2008

If I'm counting right Christmas was only 12 days ago and I have to say that these 4 boys got a lot of stuff!! They got a new computer, their still favorite gift of Leapsters which they have hardly put down, a tool workbench and tons of really cool tools from Aunt Kim, Lightening McQueen toys,MagnaTiles, Unit Blocks for building and enough new DVD's to stock their own branch of Blockbuster. Santa even brought them Crocs along with Jibbitz. They got all of that and more in Iowa and then Santa left them some things in Illinois under the tree too! Remote control cars, a huge sled, a bow and arrow...(don't worry Aunt Glo...it's a soft harmless one!!) They even got extra cash from Grandpa to spend on whatever they DIDN'T get... (which Logan immediately came home and spent on more Lightening McQueen accessories!) We made a run to Costco to get who knows what (I THINK maybe their cheap bananas...and came home with a carload of stuff....I do know that Costco got the better end of that deal!) Well...we found the best, most luxurious, the sturdiest, most entertaining toy of them all and brought it home from Costco. What do you think it was....??? A BANANA BOX!! These boys played with it and in it for hours....They used it as a car, used it as a wagon, used it as a fort, used it as a house, stacked it with another box and made it a tow truck...had a puppet show... the list goes on and on. Now why didn't we discover this love of boxes two weeks ago and save ourselves a lot of shopping, a lot of trouble and a lot of expense?! We finally took the box away tonight and the old standby favorite reappeared...I caught them all sitting in my office chair playing Leapsters again.....

Saturday, January 5, 2008

While most kids count the days until Christmas Logan has always wanted to know when Christmas is so that he can begin to countdown to Valentine's Day. Why Valentine's Day? Because that is Logan's birthday!! I had held him off until yesterday when I finally gave in to begin the countdown! Last year I came up with the idea to make a paper chain to help him have a visual aid and he could tear off a loop every night before bed. Last year it was red, pink, white and then repeated. In true Logan form he remembered this and wanted me to cut the strips in red, pink and white. Well...I am out of pink construction paper and for some reason it took me an hour to convince him that it would be fine in just red and white. "But Mom...it needs to be Valentine colors...." So he finally gave in and constructed the chain...now all the boys talk about Logan's chain and know that they had better not touch it unless they want the wrath of Logan!! I wonder if they will ask for a paper chain for their birthday this year?

Friday, January 4, 2008

As you all know Logan is in kindergarten this year and with him in Mrs. Louis' class there is the cutest, tiniest little 6 year old girl named Gemma. Logan came home talking one day that Gemma from his class had invited him to her birthday party and that he is going! Sure enough Gemma's mom met me outside of school during afternoon pick-up with "the" invitation. Logan was so excited and talked of nothing else. When the day came he arrived at a gym full of little girls squealing his name like only 5 and 6 year old girls can do. Fortunately there was one other boy their too and both seemed to have fun although they immediately stayed together like they had been thrown to the sharks and needed a buddy system!

Well...fast forward to Christmas break...today was the last day and I had been promising Logan a playdate. I could have suggested inviting a little boy from his class or a neighbor but frankly I just couldn't fathom adding another boy into the mix that we already have....so I suggested Gemma. Logan was thrilled! He immediately announced that he needed to take a shower and in his words..."get cleaned up so I am shiny!" He scrubbed and scrubbed and even yelled for me to find his toy razor. When he finally deemed himself clean enough he got out of the shower and demanded that I blow dry his hair!! This little boy then proceeded to brush and floss his teeth!! If he knew what cologne is I imagine that he probably would have requested that too! I really didn't expect this kind of behaviour for another 8-10 years!! He carefully dressed (still needed mommy to snap his jeans though so he isn't as grown up as he likes to think.) and put on his new watch that Santa brought him. The other boys decided that if Logan was requesting to shower they must need to get in on it too...so I had to blow dry 2 more boys hair (Landon wanted nothing to do with any of it...he just went and put his coat and shoes on so he would be ready to go where ever was so important to make his brothers primp) Lake just kept saying "I'm getting a Gemma too!" I finally figured out that he thought Gemma was a something and as soon as I explained that Gemma was a girls name his interest lagged somewhat.

Well after much waiting the time for Gemma to arrive came and all 4 boys met her at the door and showed her around. They played nicely together making some art, playing with play doh, played hide and seek and Leapster games. They were so cute together and soon it was time for Gemma to go home. After she was gone I sat at the table while Logan was still doing play doh and I said "Gemma is a really nice girl..did you have fun?" He said "yes mommy...Gemma loves me...do I have to marry her?" I said "no you don't have to marry her if you don't want to..." He then proceeded to tell me that he couldn't marry her because he wants to marry me and if he married Gemma he would have to move to another house! How sweet is that? I tried to explain that he could move away and see me whenver he wants but he isn't ready to hear that and for now I'm just going to savor and enjoy the idea that he loves me that much that he wants to stay here forever....I'm sure that the time will come soon enough when he can't wait to grow up and move away but for now..."Mommy I want to live with you forever....!" and that is just fine with me!!

We have a huge leak somewhere in the Master Bath so we have spent our day waiting for the big arrival of the plumber (been waiting since Monday....)He is coming to take another look. He looked last week and cut two big holes in my kitchen ceiling and announced that my kids just probably make too much of a mess in my bathroom splashing...(I told him that couldn't be it! since they weren't even in there for the initial leak but he is the expert!!!) and then I tested it myself and sure enough water came gushing into the adjoining/aka Dr. Suess room wall at the baseboard...I had showed him that room last week too and told him of the strange musty smell...I had to pull up carpet and throw away pad and now I await......at least his punishment was 4 little boys hanging on his every word and following him around like puppies the whole time he was here....Lawson even asked him where his teeth were! (I wanted to crawl under the bed on that one.) On the bright side they chatter away to him all with their tools and flashlights calling him "Mr. Plumber Man" at every question...at least they have good manners!! I even caught Landon with his arm slung over the guys shoulder when he was down on the floor like they were long lost best buddies. I wonder how many holes he will have to cut this time? Somehow I have a feeling he will finally come up with an answer so he won't have to come back to this house full of "helpers!"Posted by Mishelle at 1:40 PM0 comments

Wednesday, January 2, 2008First let me say how much I love my boys and feel very lucky to have them...but who came up with the idea of calling this time period between Christmas and January 7th a "vacation?" A vacation for who???!!! Four little people all with their own ideas. personalities and interests all trapped inside a house with a mommy ready to pull her hair out. I have wiped more butts (??!!) broken up more arguments ("mommy...he is being mean!"), thrown away more uneaten plates of food, poured more drinks and fixed/assembled more toys than one family should own unless they own a toystore. I keep trying to remind myself that next week I will be missing all of this when I have to load the little boys up fully decked out in snowpants, boots and gear to go back to preschool. Fortunately in kindergarten they don't go outside. (yet Logan STILL insists on wearing boots, hats, gloves for the 10 foot walk from the car to the kindergarten door?)....although next year I'm guessing since it is a full day that will also be changing....oh well...won't be my problem beyond the first round of dressing to let them get to school...let the teacher put 25 small children back into snowgear to go outside if she really wants to. Maybe THAT's who came up with the "vacation" idea?We took a nap today since the boys seem to be all coming down with different levels of colds. Lake has a terrible cough, Landon and Logan runny noses, and Lawson watery eyes. Getting them to nap was no small feat....I layed down with them in their room hoping to make it quick to get to sleep...didn't happen. Fast forward to seperating them into the guest room for Lawson, Logan in my bedroom and Lake and Landon with me in their room. Landon was an angel and went right to sleep....Lake I finally had to give a quick swat on the butt....that finally worked and we had some peace and quiet. Why is it when you are a kid you think a nap is the worst punishment ever but when you are grown you just can't get one often enough? It is always amazing how good a nap feels....All boys are up now and taking turns on their new computer. It is so cute watching them and Landon is such a whiz. Jingle (our Christmas Elf) brought the computer for Christmas and the boys got new games to go with it. They aren't online yet but have enough games that they don't realize they are missing the internet. Although kind of like Happy Meals...they really don't know that the internet or Happy Meals exist. They also got Webkins for Christmas so when we want to play with those we will have to use my computer. I can't wait to share with 3 4 year olds and a 5 year old that probably will know more about the internet than me in a few years. This is Landon and Lawson playing a game together.Posted by Mishelle at 2:06 PM0 comments

Well another year is behind us! We rung in the New Year at home in a quiet manner (well....as quiet as a house can be with 4 active little boys running around with noisemakers!) We had a nice dinner, played some games, watched the movie Ratatouille and ate chocolate creme brulee for dessert. The boys all stayed awake for the first part but Lake ended up falling asleep as soon as the popcorn was gone. Logan had never seen the end because he fell asleep at the theatre about 10 minutes before it ended. Somehow he managed to keep one eye open at a time last night but immediately crashed when it was over. Lawson and Landon each were wide awake and even multi-tasked playing their new Leapsters that grandma and grandpa got them for Christmas. We carried them all up to bed and tucked them in wishing them a happy new year! I have to say it couldn't have been a nicer way to end 2007 with all of my favorite people around me.Posted by Mishelle at 11:51 AM0 comments